Fishing Report: Look for Planted Rainbows in East Lewis County

Rivers and Streams
Plants of 7,500 to 8,000 catchable-sized rainbows are planned for Skate Creek and the Tilton River, opening June 4.

Anglers are catching a mixture of adult and jack spring Chinook, primarily in the upper Cowlitz.

Last week Tacoma Power recovered 533 spring chinook adults, 349 jacks, 21 winter-run steelhead, and 78 summer-run steelhead during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

During the past week Tacoma Power employees released 46 spring chinook adults, 217 jacks, and six winter-run steelhead into the upper Cowlitz River at Packwood and 62 spring chinook adults and 98 jacks into the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek.
River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 9,620 cubic feet per second on Monday, May 23. Water visibility is eight feet.

Lakes and Ponds
Between May 16-18, Mineral Lake was planted with 7,296 catchable size rainbows.

The daily limit at Drano Lake has increased for spring chinook salmon. Effective through July 31, the salmonid daily limit will be six fish. Up to four may be adults of which no more than two may be hatchery steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery chinook. Release all trout other than hatchery steelhead. Minimum size 12 inches for salmon and 20 inches for steelhead.

Boat anglers are catching some adult and jack spring chinook on Drano. The bank angling area is inundated due to high water levels. Wednesday closures have been extended through all of June.

Stacie Kelsey, with the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Inland Fish Program Region 5, said that the bite is on at Silver Lake, near Castle Rock, “However, the crappie are very small and what I saw was not of legal 9-inch minimum size to keep.”

On the Beach
Halibut will close in the Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco/Chinook) to recreational fishing after Saturday, June 4.